Footnote’s translation of this photo released in war time by the Italian Regia Aeronautica: «50th Land Bombardment Group – Ships on the moor on the Suda Bay – Bombardment mission accomplished on 21 April 1941 at an altitude of 6,700 metres (22,000 ft)». The 21 April 1941 mission against Suda Bay, Crete, was accomplished by ten Cant-Z-1007bis bomber of the 50th Gruppo BT (BT for Bombardamento Terrestre/Land Bombardment) took off from Maritsa Airfield, Rhodes. The day before Crete was raided by eight bomber of the same Gruppo, an unit of the Regia Aeronautica’s Comando Aviazione Egeo (Aegean Air Command): three, which claimed a destroyer and a merchant ship damaged, over Suda Bay and five over Heraklion airfield. Another raid against Suda Bay was accomplished by five Cant-Z-1007bis of the 50th Gruppo’s on 24 April 1941. Victor Sierra

Above Suda Bay

The only knew picture, published by an Italian newspaper of this time of HSM Juno’s sinking off Crete on 21 May 1941 (“Hit Morassuti” by the name of the Italian bomber’s pilot). HMS Juno, a J-Class destroyer of the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet, Cdr. St. John Reginald Joseph Tyrwhitt, RN, were deployed on Aegean Sea with other warships (C Force) to intercept the German invasion craft on passage to Crete to carry out landings. On the morning of 21 May 1941, from 10.35 until 13.15 local time, three Italian bombers formations took off from the Rhodes bases attempted the attack to British ships but, because the very bad visibility due to thick haze, the first formation, composed by some S.79, returned to the base without obtain none ship’s spot while some SM.84 dropped their bombs without result. The success was obtained by five Cant-Z-1007bis of the 50th Gruppo, based at Maritsa, which raided the British convoy on level flight and in particular by the plane of the Lt. Morrassuti which scored a direct hit with against the Juno (position 30 nm SE off Crete 34º35'N, 26º34'E). Three bombs split the destroyer in two abaft the bridge structure and the ship sunk in less than two minutes with the loss of 116 men of the crew. The destroyers HMS Kingston, HMS Kandahar and HMS Nubian, rescued 96 survivors five of those later died. All the Italian aircraft was damaged by the heavy AA fire of the ships, but returned to base. Victor Sierra

Off Crete, 21 May 1941

Gadouras, Rodhes, Aegean Front, 1942: mechanics begin the tail reassembling, likely as replacement of parts destroyed or heavy damaged, of a torpedo-bomber Savoia-Marchetti S.79 code 279-1 of the Regia Aeronautica’s 279th Squadriglia, 131st Gruppo. The 279th Squadriglia was one of earlier Regia Aeronautica’s torpedo bomber unit and was established at Gorizia, North-East Italy on 24 December 1940. On January 1941 moved to Catania, Fontanarossa Airfield and subsequently, after few weeks, to Aegean theater, at Gadouras (Gadurrà for the Italians). On 25 March 1941 the 279th was incorporated in the newly established 131st Gruppo which on 1942 will transfer to Sicily, Gerbini airfield. Victor Sierra